Transient Numerical Simulation of the Melting and Solidification Behavior of NaNO 3 Using a Wire Matrix for Enhancing the Heat Transfer

Martin Koller, Heimo Walter and Michael Hameter
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Martin Koller: Institute for Energy Systems and Thermodynamics, Technische Universität Wien, Getreidemarkt 9, 1060 Vienna, Austria
Heimo Walter: Institute for Energy Systems and Thermodynamics, Technische Universität Wien, Getreidemarkt 9, 1060 Vienna, Austria
Michael Hameter: Institute for Energy Systems and Thermodynamics, Technische Universität Wien, Getreidemarkt 9, 1060 Vienna, Austria

Energies, 2016, vol. 9, issue 3, 1-18

Abstract: The paper presents the results of a transient numerical investigation of the melting and solidification process of sodium nitrate (NaNO 3 ), which is used as phase change material. For enhancing the heat transfer to the sodium nitrate an aluminum wire matrix is used. The numerical simulation of the melting and solidification process was done with the enthalpy-porosity approach. The numerical analysis of the melting process has shown that apart from the first period of the charging process, where heat conduction is the main heat transfer mechanism, natural convection is the dominant heat transfer mechanism. The numerical investigation of the solidification process has shown that the dominant heat transfer mechanism is heat conduction. Based on the numerical results, the discharging process has been slower than the charging process. The performance of the charged and discharged power has shown that the wire matrix is an alternative method to enhance the heat transfer into the phase change material.

Keywords: transient numerical simulation; thermal energy storage; wire matrix; heat transfer enhancement; sodium nitrate; latent energy storage; natural convection; melting; solidification (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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